By Jessica Wright
Tony Sheldon ... call for uniform aviation award.Credit: Louie Douvis
QANTAS is celebrating a backdown by the Transport Workers Union from its threat of legal action as a win for passengers who can now book for at least four years ''with the absolute certainty'' there will be no further industrial action.
The TWU had previously threatened to challenge the Fair Work ruling that no further industrial action be taken by parties involved in the Qantas industrial dispute.
But the TWU has instead thrown its ''in principle'' support behind the pilots union's planned court appeal seeking to overturn the ruling and says it will now push for a standard aviation award for the entire industry.
The Qantas dispute was on top of the agenda at a teleconference of the TWU national committee of management yesterday morning to determine whether the union should launch a legal challenge against the Fair Work Australia decision to terminate all industrial action after the airline announced it would ground all flights on October 29. The union's national secretary, Tony Sheldon, said it would not mount a legal challenge and instead throw its resources into resolving the Qantas dispute through arbitration by early next year.
He also called on the government to back a uniform ''aviation award'' for the industry, which would cover Qantas workers as well as those at Virgin, Jetstar and other airlines.
''Under a modern award covering the entire aviation industry, Qantas and Virgin would be obliged to pay appropriate rates of pay to employees,'' he said. ''Qantas management have been saying that the reason they shut down [the fleet] is because of industry pressure.
''They have released numerous statements over the course of the year saying any attempts to negotiate above Virgin's pay rate would mean they are not able to remain competitive.
''If Qantas management are serious about staying competitive in the Australian aviation industry, they will support an industry-wide award.''
The Australian and International and Pilots Association launched proceedings in the Federal Court on November 11 to seek an order challenging the decision by Fair Work Australia to terminate industrial action. Mr Sheldon said the union ''fully supported'' the pilots union's appeal.
A Qantas spokeswoman, Olivia Wirth, said people could now travel with confidence. ''There will be no industrial action by the pilots' union, licensed engineers' union and Transport Workers' Union for up to the next four years,'' she said.
''Our message to customers is that you can continue to book with Qantas with absolute confidence. The FWA ruling means that these three unions are unable to take industrial action for the upcoming period of arbitration and for the period of the EBA determination by Fair Work Australia, which could be up to four years.''
Ms Wirth said customers had been returning to Qantas after a collapse in bookings.
Regarding Mr Sheldon's call for a standardised modern award agreement, Ms Wirth said there was already a sufficient aviation industry award in place for ground staff.
The TWU was in meetings with Fair Work Australia yesterday to determine the timetable and requirements of the arbitration hearings.
A directions hearing in the pilots' case is expected on December 1, with further hearings in April, the union said.
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